Home kitchens typically have a trash receptacle located therein. Access to such receptacles is often required to be immediate and must be accomplished without full use of one or both hands. Accordingly, such receptacles are typically in the open for unobstructed access. However, trash containers detract from the aesthetic appearance of the kitchen and it is usually desired that such receptacles be placed out of view, if possible. Unfortunately, placing such a trash receptacle out of view typically obstructs access to the receptacle, resulting in difficulty of placing trash therein.
In addition to home kitchens, fast food restaurants have similar, but more complex, problems with disposal of trash, including food. Fast food restaurants typically serve their customers by placing food and/or beverages on a tray. Napkins, residual food, disposable utensils and food packaging remain on the tray and require disposal. Typically, a patron who has finished eating takes their tray to a trash receptacle and pushes the door of the trash receptacle inward, inserting portions of the tray into the trash receptacle opening. Empty trays are subsequently deposited on the top of, or near, the trash receptacle for recovery by restaurant staff.
Some fast food restaurants utilize a swinging side access door to a trash receptacle, while others utilize such a door disposed in the top of the receptacle. A trash receptacle, whether in a home kitchen or fast food restaurant, typically comprises a removable container with a trash bag disposed therewithin.
Unfortunately, fast food restaurant patrons must typically utilize their hand to push open the swinging door of the trash receptacle, and, at the same time, the patron must utilize their other hand to hold the tray and insert portions of the tray into the trash receptacle opening, wherein trash, including food, remaining on the tray is deposited into a trash container below the receptacle opening.
Additionally, residual food on the trays often contacts the door of the trash receptacle, resulting in an unsanitary condition, and it is undesirable for a patron to touch such door when disposing of food. Occasionally, a patron may even drop a tray into the trash receptacle, resulting in economic loss to the restaurant.
Further, some patrons may find it difficult to carry out the aforementioned actions to simultaneously open the trash receptacle door and clear trash from their tray. Young children and handicapped or disabled patrons may find it difficult to dispose of trash on their tray into such a conventional trash receptacle, as some trash may easily fall to the ground or remain on the tray. Moreover, for some disabled patrons, it may be impossible to operate a typical trash receptacle.
Various attempts have unsuccessfully been made to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. One such invention comprises an auxiliary structure enclosure for a receptacle or receptacles for holding recyclable waste that can be attached to a building. While the enclosure conceals a receptacle or receptacles, it is external to a building, thus requiring additional space.
Other attempts to overcome the problems associated with trash disposal comprise a pivotally-mounted plate/lid horizontally disposed above a top inlet opening of a trash receptacle. To open, downward manual force must be applied to the swinging plate, causing the plate to swing downward to reveal the inlet opening of the trash receptacle. A container is positioned under the plate/opening for receiving trash. Through counterbalance weighting or springs, the plate swings back to its normal horizontal position once pressure is relieved, thereby closing the receptacle opening. Unfortunately, such a device often permits the door to contact trash thereinside and further accumulates trash on surfaces of the door, wherein since the door still requires touching by a patron/user during use sanitation concerns are prevalent.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for an automatic solid surface access port and cover with an automatic cover that maintains a trash container out of sight, while providing easy access to the trash container via the cover that does not require touching and application of force by a patron/user, wherein the cover opens and closes automatically to permit trash to pass therethrough to a container therebelow without contamination of the cover and further uses a drive arm to facilitate controlled opening and closing of the cover.